Fence-post



W. T. LOWRANCE FENCE POST.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. I3. |918.

l ,3 l 2,448, Patented Aug'. 5, 1919.

WILLIAM T. LownAIvoE, or I ,aoIvTE vIsTA, coronario.

` To all whom it may concern.'

Be `it known that I, VILLIAM T. LownANcn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Monte Vista, in the .county of Rio Grande and State of Colorado, .have invented certain new' and useful Improvements `in Fence-Posts; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,.and exact description of the invention, such as Willen- V able others skilled vin theart to which it .ap-

pertains tomake and use the same.

This invention relates to fence posts, and more particularly to a fence 4post which is constructed of steel .or other suitable metallic material. i

One of the main objects of the `invention is provide a fence post Aof simple construction and oper. tion which may be ,produced at small costand possesses relatively great strength.

A further Objectis to p rovide` a post Ahaving a relatively large base which maybe readily driven into .the .ground and .acts to firmly secure the post in position.

Another object .is toI provide `a post comprising a body and a base and means Vfor securing these members together, the securing means being adapted to permitdetaching of the body from the base when required or necessary.

Further objects will appear from the; de-

tailed description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view of a. post constructed in accordance with my invention in assembled position.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a section taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a detail underneath plan view of the cap plate.

Fio. 7 is a section taken substantially on une )L7 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the base.

The post comprises a body 1 which is formed from relatively heavy scrap iron or steel and isi of rectangular shape in cross section, and a base 2 upon which this body is secured. This base is 0f Substantial Z- shape in cross section, being formed by stamping and bending from strap metal of FENCEFPOST.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed November 13, 1918. Serial No. 262,375.

jbeveled to produce relatively sharp cutting edgesso asto tending tab 5 which is adapted to .t snugly `to receive the lowerbifurcated portion 1a `arms is .eectually prevented. the ,lower bifurcated portiQn Patented Aug. 5, 1919.

suitable gage and .temper so as to provide the outer oppositely directed lateral arms 3; and the diagonal connecting web portion 4. TheA lower ends of the arms and the `web are facilitate driving of this base into the ground.

Each of the lateral arms 3 is provided, at its upper outercorner, with a vertically eX- through a corresponding slot provided through a substantially vrectangular cap plate adapted to t snugly upon the top of the base. This cap plate is lprovided with a central `diagonal. slot 7 which is adapted of body 1. This lower bifurcated portionof the body produces two spaced parallel arms 1* `which Vare adapted to fit tightly about the upper portion of web 4 at the transverse center thereof. As `will be ,noted more clearly .from Fig. 5, each of these arms `is slightlyofset to provide a downwardlyand outwardly inclined .connecting shoulder 1c so that,".by forcing the cap plate into ,tight engagement therewith all spreading of these Tn. practice, `1a of the .body 1 of the post is inserted over the web 4, the cap plate 6 being first loosely placeda'bout this body and fitted over the tabs 5 so as to be properly centered. The arms 1" are then releasably secured securing bolts 8 the cap plate 1s driven down so as to be seated upon the upy 'per end of the base, the tabs being bent over slightly to eHectually secure the cap plate against all movement or play, this plate acting` to brace the body of the post and to also prevent any spreading or distortion of the arms 3 of the base. When the post has been thus assembled, the base 2 thereof may be driven into the ground by striking` the top of the post with an 1 suitable tool, the base being preferably, though not necessarily, driven into the ground to such a depth as to bring the cap plate 6 substantially flush with the ground surface. Because of its particular shape, the base obtains a very firm grip in the ground and serves to tightly anchor the post against movement.

As will be noted more clearly from Figs. 1 and 2, the body 1 of the post is provided with a plurality of wire receiving slots 9 eX- tending inwardly from the forward edge to the web by means of post. If at any time Copies of this patent may be obtained for thereof and being alternately and oppositely inclined. These slots communicate with substantially circular openings 10, at their inner ends, for receiving the strands of wire to be secured. Ihen using the post, it is set up with the slotted edge portion directed toward the fence to be strung, the body of the post being disposed substantially at right angles to the strands of wire. The wire strands are then tightened in any of the many well known ways and are forced into the inclined slots 9 and the openings 10 the upper and lower walls of which are also inclined similarly to the slots, thus forming a sharp bend in the wire which is tightly gripped between the two gripping edges produced by the inclined openings and effectually secured against all looseness or play. By having the slots alternately and oppositely inclined, the post is elfectually braced by the wires against all lateral play, while any strain which may be caused by pressure along lines at right angles to the fence, or substantially so, will be transmitted to the body of the post transversely thereof. The post being comparatively wide is well able to withstand all of these transverse strains and, as above noted, it is securely braced against lateral strain by the action of the strands of wire themselves secured to the it becomes necessary, or is desired, to remove the post, this may be readily accomplished by removing the securing nuts Yll from the bolts 8, previously straightening the tabs 5 and removing the cap plate 6. WV hen this has been done, the body of the post may be readily detached ve cents each, by Washington, D; C.

from the base so as to be applied to a similar base and secured thereby in the desired new location. Also, in the event of the body of the post becoming bent or broken, it may be readily replaced in the manner previously described for securing the body to the base, the broken or injured post body being first detached, as will be understooc.

It will be evident that there may be slight changes made in the construction and arrangement of the details of my invention without departing from the field and scope of the same, and I intend to include all such variations, as fall within the scope of the appended claim, in this application in which a preferred form only of my invention is disclosed.

I/Vhat I claim is:

In a post of the character described, a base of substantial Z-shape in cross section, a post body having its lower end portion'bifurcated and fitting snugly about the upper end portion of the web of the base, a cap plate provided with a slot receiving said body and fitting tightly about'the bifurcated portion thereof so as to brace the same, and means for detachably securing the cap plate to the arms of the base so as to brace the same against lateral movement or distortion and hold the post body in proper centered position.

In testimony whereof I aX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM T. LOWRANCE,

Witneses: Y SAMUEL S. HEILMAN, RALPH B. PATTERSON.

addressing the Commissioner of Patents. 

